If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Blow off some steam tell me your pet peeve

11-13-2008, 10:00 PM

How about saving your spouse and co workers some grieve and blow off some steam here. Ill start, our job can be hard I have heard people say it is not a very skilled job it is not like rocket science. Well I would like to see a rocket scientist try to open a drain. You have to feel the cable to know what is going on. You have to be able to properly diagnose the problem, a wrong diagnoses can cost your client thousands plus hard ships. Our job is one of the most dangerous there is even with G F I and air switch were still talking about electric in water I have been shocked bad a few times. How about that steep roof or deadly vapors. The way I see it if your still alive your as smart as anyone and you earn every penny you make.

Comment

Co-workers who expect more work out of you than they are willing to put in. For example, they ask you to help them with something before they make a reasonable effort on their own. Or when you go through great effort getting something ready for them in response to a question and they ignore it or assert that it shouldn't be done that way or because they are too lazy to do it right.

Comment

know it alls, people that talk and dont listen, people that talk and dont listen, oh yeh i already said that, flat tire on the way to a job, handing a customer a bill and they say is that all its going to cost, we didnt put that drain cleaner in that sink, snakes in a crawl space, thats all for now

Comment

How about saving your spouse and co workers some grieve and blow off some steam here. Ill start, our job can be hard I have heard people say it is not a very skilled job it is not like rocket science. Well I would like to see a rocket scientist try to open a drain. You have to feel the cable to know what is going on. You have to be able to properly diagnose the problem, a wrong diagnoses can cost your client thousands plus hard ships. Our job is one of the most dangerous there is even with G F I and air switch were still talking about electric in water I have been shocked bad a few times. How about that steep roof or deadly vapors. The way I see it if your still alive your as smart as anyone and you earn every penny you make.

I will admit that drain cleaning isn't the hardest job out there, but it definetely isn't easy because of the reasons you mentioned (no matter if one is using an auto-feed or not). Plus, if a clean out is in an awkward position, you have to figure out a way to extend the clean out or do something so you aren't flinging waste everywhere with the cable. Plus, being in awkward positions and holding that position as long as you are cleaning the drain isn't fun, either.

If you actually think about it, I bet you could say that 95% percent of jobs don't require great skills.

Either way, I try not to let what other people think get to me. It can be tough sometimes, but I know what really matters most in life.

Co-workers who expect more work out of you than they are willing to put in. For example, they ask you to help them with something before they make a reasonable effort on their own. Or when you go through great effort getting something ready for them in response to a question and they ignore it or assert that it shouldn't be done that way or because they are too lazy to do it right.

CPW,

i went on a job one time relocating 2 circ pumps on a HWH system.

the aircraft mechanic asked me how i was doing. i said that i was frustrated with the people i worked with.

he calmly said, "Vince, your expecting too much from those people and you should lower your expectations.

his words have saved me alot of aggravation and elevated blood pressure.

Comment

It's amazing how smooth we are at handling kitchen and sewer machines not to mention all the hand tools wrenches and threading equipment (there's too much to list) When a homeowner or individual that does not use tools often watches us they don't understand that we make it look easy because of our years of experience. That can sometimes be translated in their heads as "heck I can do this next time" How many Monday mornings have you gone to your first three jobs and found cheap plastic versions of hand snakes sitting on the floor or stuck in a line. We can always tell when a customer has tried for days to fix a problem and has been unsuccessful, some times it's all taken apart other times it's scratched so badly you know they were using a 14" pipe wrench to remove a stem from a basin faucet. It all makes me laugh because I love what I do.

It's amazing how smooth we are at handling kitchen and sewer machines not to mention all the hand tools wrenches and threading equipment (there's too much to list) When a homeowner or individual that does not use tools often watches us they don't understand that we make it look easy because of our years of experience. That can sometimes be translated in their heads as "heck I can do this next time" How many Monday mornings have you gone to your first three jobs and found cheap plastic versions of hand snakes sitting on the floor or stuck in a line. We can always tell when a customer has tried for days to fix a problem and has been unsuccessful, some times it's all taken apart other times it's scratched so badly you know they were using a 14" pipe wrench to remove a stem from a basin faucet. It all makes me laugh because I love what I do.

Comment

Number 1 pet peeve is arrogant people. They have done it all, done it better, and you are blessed just to listen to their bountiful knowledge. They have also never bent a cable, got one stuck or taken longer than 15 minutes to open a drain. You are inexperienced. No matter how much experience you have, you will still be inexperienced. Their training was better, longer and harder. Never ask a question to a arrogant person, because you will be labeled stupid.

I really feel sorry for guys entering the trades sometimes. Apprenticeship is not what it used to be. It used to be a honor to be working under a journeymen or contractor. Now it's just a hazing.

Anyone can tear a man down, few can build one up.

Comment

Keep it coming I know what your saying. I think we all need a place to blow off some steam. I work 24/7 so I don't have no place to blow off steam. and you don't want to do it to your customers even though you would like to tell some of them off. Like the puppy dog customers they follow you every where you go if you go to your van to get something they go too even worse those that try to help, Years ago I got a call to clean out a basement drain I had one of those electric eels that you walk behind I was trying to pull it out and it would not come, it wasn't stuck the cable was spining free it just wouldn't come back. I finally stopped to see what was going on and the customer who was watching me from behind said, that machine wont go in at all I was pushing on the back as hard as I could to help you get it in. I told him I was trying to take it out, OH he said no wonder it wouldn't go in. Or the customer who went up to my van and got every cable I had out and brought it to where I was drilling the stoppage was at 30 ft and he hauled down 260 some feet of cable and cussed me out for not having more. I told him once it gets to the city line it's up to them to clean he did not like that he figured I should clean it I told him he would be paying for cleaning out there drain and it would cost a lot to run that much cable down. He looked surprised and said isn't it the same price.That was back before flat rates I told him no I charge by the hour he said well stop why are you going in farther I told him I was just doing what he told me to, he said why are you listening to me. Because your the boss all I can do is try to talk you out of it.Well I feel better.

Number 1 pet peeve is arrogant people. They have done it all, done it better, and you are blessed just to listen to their bountiful knowledge. They have also never bent a cable, got one stuck or taken longer than 15 minutes to open a drain. You are inexperienced. No matter how much experience you have, you will still be inexperienced. Their training was better, longer and harder. Never ask a question to a arrogant person, because you will be labeled stupid.

I really feel sorry for guys entering the trades sometimes. Apprenticeship is not what it used to be. It used to be a honor to be working under a journeymen or contractor. Now it's just a hazing.